STRESS 

&
COPING

C O U N S E L I N G S E RV I C E S
W H AT ’ S
AHEAD?

Kinds of Stress

Stress in the Time of COVID

Signs, Symptoms, Responses

Tools for Coping

How would you define stress?

 WHERE ARE YOU ON THE STRESS
CURVE?

Performance increases with

stress but only up to a point.

When the level of stress

becomes too high, performance
decreases

(Yerkes & Dodson, 1908) (Research Gate, 2020)

 COMMON
COLLEGE
STRESSORS
Balancing work, school, and family life
Health
Class scheduling and credit load
Costs of colleges/finances
Grades and exams
Preparing for post-graduation life
Relationships
Only 1.6 percent of undergraduates reported that they felt no stress
in the last 12 months.

(The American Institute of Stress, 2019) (National College Health Assessment, 2019)
 KINDS OF
STRESS
Acute stress Episodic stress Chronic stress 

• most common •  acute stress that •  over a long

type  occurs frequently period of time and
can have serious
• arises quickly - •  in “crisis mode,” effects on
unexpected or are often irritable physical and
alarming events to and anxious;  mental health
help you  prone to constant
worrying •  dull, constant,
• fades quickly and seemingly
• overwhelmed and never-ending
difficulty
managing it •  situations that
feel hopeless and
beyond your
control

(American Psychological Association, 2020)

STRESS IN THE TIME OF
COVID
 STRESS IN THE
TIME OF COVID
Surge capacity – collection of adaptive systems – mental
and physical- that humans draw on for short term survival
in acutely stressful situations, such as natural disasters 
-Ann Masten, PhD, University of Minnesota

Pandemic is different from natural disaster…it is invisible

and ongoing

Normal response to feel exhausted, ups and downs,

depleted, burned out

(Haelle, 2020) Illustration: Adrian Forrow

 STRESS IN THE
TIME OF COVID
Ambiguous loss – loss that is unclear or lacks a resolution
-Pauline Boss, PhD-University of Minnesota

What are some ambiguous losses you have experienced

during this time?

Loss of a way of life

(Haelle, 2020)
HOW DO YOU
KNOW WHEN
YOU ARE
EXPERIENCING
STRESS?

What does it look and feel like?

Emotional

Physical

Behavior

Cognitive
 F I G H T- F L I G H T-
FREEZE RESPONSE How do you respond?

Fight:  movement towards, screaming,

crying, clinched fists, anger, rage
Perceived Physical Effects
fear/threat reaction • Short term: Flight:  movement away, nervous, anxious,
• Different for each • Stress hormones helpful; gets us panic, fidgety, need to move, restless, get
person • ready
• Brain thinks •
Heart rate
• Long term: away
Breathing
you’re in danger negative effects
• Eyes, ears, etc
Freeze:  feeling stuck, frozen, numb,
indecisive, restricted breathing, heaviness,
shut down
 THOUGHTS, BELIEFS AND
PERCEPTIONS
Some cognitive distortions

Our perception of stress is something All or Nothing Thinking

we can control. Overgeneralization
Mental Filter
Changing the way we think about it
will effect how we feel about it. Jumping to Conclusions
Should Statements
Stress mindset: Frame stress as a
challenge rather than a threat. Personalization

(Crum, Akinola, Martin, & Fath, 2017) (Beck, 1963)

HOW DO
YOU COPE?
What are some ways that you cope
with stress?
 W H AT I S
RESILIENCE?
Process of adapting well in face of adversity

People tend to overestimate how much negative events will

impact them and underestimate how well they can cope.
Don’t underestimate your own resilience.

Build a resilience bank account. Resilience can be

developed.

(American Psychological Association, 2012)

TOOLS FOR
COPING
Basic needs

Physical activity

Self-care

Social support

Adjust expectations

Ask for help

BASIC NEEDS
Is your diet fueling your body well?

Are you getting adequate sleep?

How do you prepare for sleep?

• Limit screen time/blue light
• Empty your thoughts
• Meditation; relaxation; music
• Bedtime ritual
PHYSICAL
ACTIVITY
Mental health benefits of exercise:  

• decreases stress hormones

•  distracts from negative thoughts 
• mood boost
• improved confidence 
• social
 SELF-CARE Short term strategies:  
performed anywhere, take little practice,
How do you relax?
provide immediate relief 
 ​
Guided imagery, meditation, progressive
What do you need right now?  Where do you get your energy? muscle relaxation, breathing, walk, take
a moment in nature

Long term strategies: 

Take more time and practice

Leisure activities, positive self-talk,

yoga, gratitude, time management,
reframe your thinking, self-compassion

Get creative during this time – focus on the here and now
SOCIAL
SUPPORT
What are you doing to nurture your relationships?

Social support and connection is biggest protective factor

for facing adversity and building resilience

Know which relationships increase your stress

Help others; check in with others; people are not meant to

go through difficult times alone
ADJUST
E X P E C TAT I O N S
Set realistic goals for yourself during stressful times

Stress uses up a lot of energy

Allow yourself to adjust expectations of yourself and others.

ASK FOR HELP
What are healthy ways to process your emotions?

What are some challenges in asking for help?

If you’re having difficulty managing stress and coping on

your own, ask for help.

Counseling Services at SCSU

203-392-5475

https://inside.southernct.edu/counseling
ACTIVITY
 REFERENCES

(2020). Retrieved from American Psychological Association: https://www.apa.org/topics/stress

American Psychological Association. (2012). Retrieved from Building your resilience: https://www.apa.org/topics/resilience

Beck, A. (1963). Thinking and depression: I. Idiosyncratic content and cognitive distortions. Archives of General Psychiatry, 324–333.

Crum, A., Akinola, M., Martin, A., & Fath, S. (2017). The role of stress mindset in shaping cognitive, emotional, and physiological responses to challenging and threatening stres. Anxiety, Stress and
Coping, 1-17.

Haelle, T. (2020). Your ‘Surge Capacity’ Is Depleted — It’s Why You Feel Awful. Retrieved from https://elemental.medium.com/your-surge-capacity-is-depleted-it-s-why-you-feel-awful-de285d542f4c

National College Health Assessment. (2019). Retrieved from American College Health Association (ACHA): https://www.acha.org/documents/ncha/NCHA-
II_Spring_2018_Undergraduate_Reference_Group_Executive_Summary.pdf

Research Gate. (2020). Retrieved from ResearchGate.net: https://www.researchgate.net/figure/Illustration-of-the-Yerkes-Dodson-human-performance-and-stress-curve-2_fig15_283155324

The American Institute of Stress. (2019). Retrieved from Stress in College Students: https://www.stress.org/stress-in-college-students-for-2019-how-to-cope

Yerkes, R. M., & Dodson, J. D. (1908). The relation of strength of stimulus to rapidity of habit-formation. . Journal of Comparative Neurology and Psychology, 459-482.